Arsenal renew pursuit of Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa

Arsenal have reignited their interest in Aston Villa centre-back Ezri Konsa, the 28-year-old England international who featured at this summer's World Cup, BBC Sport reported on 12 August 2026.

Arsenal's initial attempt to sign Konsa this summer stalled after the clubs failed to agree a fee: the Gunners were prepared to offer in the region of £30m while Villa value the defender at £60m. The club acknowledge they will have to lift that original figure substantially if they are to make a successful bid, with reports noting uncertainty over whether Villa would accept any offer below their valuation; the report used the name "Konda" when describing Arsenal's efforts to land the player.

Having completed the signing of Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle, Premier League champions Arsenal have shifted focus towards bolstering their defence and are accelerating their interest in Konsa. Sources cited his versatility as a positive trait for the Emirates squad and said Arsenal view him as a target to address defensive options.

Konsa played 48 times in all competitions last season for Aston Villa and was part of the squad that won the Europa League. He was also described as a key player for England at the World Cup earlier this summer.

Multiple sources told BBC Sport that Arsenal have held exploratory talks with Tottenham Hotspur about a potential move for Spurs' club captain Cristian Romero. Tottenham are thought to have no intention of selling the 28-year-old to Arsenal given the rivalry between the two north London clubs, but Arsenal have nevertheless made enquiries into the possibility.

Romero suffered a knee injury against Sunderland in April that ruled him out for the remainder of the domestic season, yet he returned to Argentina's starting line-up at the World Cup and played 70 minutes of the final defeat by Spain.

Konsa remains on holiday following the World Cup and is not part of Aston Villa's squad for Wednesday's Super Cup game against Paris St-Germain, leaving the defender unavailable for that fixture while transfer talks continue.